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PROPERTY FROM THE LANIER COLLECTION The central gure depicted as Krishna wearing a peacock-
feathered crown and accompanied by Balarama and his sister
KRISHNA WITH BALARAMA AND Subhadra. His arms are crossed on his chest. This pose
SUBHADRA also relates to Pahari images of another Vishnu avatar - the
India, Pahari, Kangra or Guler, Buddha - where we may similarly note folded arms, frontally
circa 1790-1810 viewed with a meditative expression and a bejeweled pendent
necklace. A slightly earlier painting which has been attributed
Opaque watercolor heightened with gold on paper to Nainsukh of Guler depicts an example of the Buddha Avatar,
image: 7½ by 5½ in. (17.7 by 12.7 cm) front view and cross-armed, attended by two brahmin priests;
folio: 9⅔ by 7½ in. (22.8 by 17.8 cm) see J. Cummins, Vishnu: Hinduism’s Blue-Skinned Savior, New
York, 2011, pp. 233-4, cat. 141-2. Nainsukh had also notably
PROVENANCE executed an important and innovative group of portraits of
his patron Balwant Singh of Jammu who was often similarly
Acquired 1988 depicted frontally.
Seated on a raised golden dais within the pillars of an elaborate For two earlier Pahari paintings of the Buddha avatar, see J.
white marble pavilion, Krishna with his arms folded across Cummins, Vishnu: Hinduism’s Blue-Skinned Savior, New York,
his chest, is accompanied by Subhadra and Balarama shown 2011, pp. 233-4, cat. 141-2.
ngering a small jewel. Ritual objects placed before them. $ 5,000-7,000
Dark blue inner foliate design margins with white ruled lines
and red- ecked pink outer borders.